Bukobot $42,000 3D printing Kickstarter hits $167,000+

3D printing may still seem like a science fiction concept to the uninitiated, but to those who are willing to open their eyes, it is very apparent that it is here, it is now, and it is exploding in popularity. Don't take my word for it. 3D printer projects are among the most happening things on social venture capital platform Kickstarter. Case in point - Bukobot, an open-source 3D printer. Startup Deezmaker was seeking just $42,000 in funding.

Instead, the company has received pledges totaling $167,410. Deezmaker's Diego Porqueras is promising to make the Bukobot one of the most affordable yet still full-featured 3D printers on the market. "I wanted to think outside the box (literally) for the design because this would allow a lot more flexibility for expansion and modifications to the feature without having to redesign or build a whole new frame," he said in a VentureBeat interview.

3D printing is making inroads not just in consumer applications but also for business, for medicine, and for third-world countries where resources are much more scarce. Everything from glasses to bikinis to coasters to artifical bones to guitars (need we continue?) has been successfully printed from a 3D printer. It’s fascinating to watch this next evolution in scientific advancement.